The Gates of Dawn
The Gates of Dawn is an area located in the far north of Skotadia, or the Eos Sector. It is featured in the Mandibles Tour. DinoHunt Corp. Description "This dry area lies on the borderline between the Eos Sector and the Triassic Sector. Small forests of ginkgos, conifers and cycads dot the otherwise arid landscape, and soft, rolling hills make for excellent vantage points." History The Gates of Dawn was first discovered by a group of six poachers who had arrived to illegally hunt animals in Notiogea. They had traveled to a mostly uncharted region of Eastern Notiogea in hopes of evading the anti-poachers that roamed elsewhere. Unbeknownst to them, they had touched down near The Gates of Dawn. Upon discovering the narrow passageway to the untouched region, the group of poachers were quick to make their own explorations in hope of hunting exotic and unknown species for profit. After several unprofessional expeditions into the region, with success in hunting only small game, the group encountered what would later be described by Anthony Carne as "a giant spider looking monster", later identified to be Protosolpuga, ''and suffered the deaths of two team members. Of the four in the group who survived the attack, most came out relatively unscathed, but Anthony Carne was severely wounded in his leg. He was later dropped off by the others in the group to a nearby outpost anonymously, where he was kept stable until proper medical services arrived. Anthony Carne would survive the encounter to tell the tale of what had happened at the cost of being found guilty of poaching. DHC had known about and probed Skotadia in the past, but the Carne Incident would inspire further expedition into the region by DHC-funded explorers, which were later replaced by drone exploration due to the hostility of the region. The region was turned into a hunting reserve years after its discovery in the Mandibles Tour due to DHC facing bankruptcy after the [[Gojirasaurus Incident|''Gojirasaurus Incident]]. Geography The Gates of Dawn is located to the very north of Skotadia, sitting directly on the border between it and Notiogea. because of its proximity to Notiogea, The Gates of Dawn and other surrounding areas are very dry compared to most regions of Skotadia. Even then, it is situated directly near a huge lake, balancing out its dryness. Northern Desert fly overhead while a lone ''Pulmonoscorpius'' stalks to the left.]] In the north, a Notiogean desert sprawls endlessly. However, unlike many other deserts in Notiogea, irrigation and moisture from Skotadia has allowed several small lakes and rivers to form in the otherwise barren desert. For this reason, small Notiogean fauna occasionally gathers around the area. Likewise, small Skotadian fauna often manage to bypass the mountains, attracted to the patches of freshwater. This in turn attracts some Skotadian predators, which prey upon the Skotadian and Notiogean fauna alike. Mountain Gate Squeezed tightly between the mountains separating Notiogea and Skotadia, a passageway can be found. The pass itself is very narrow, inaccessible to many Eos inhabitants but easily accessible for hunters and other explorers of the region. This has led to an ease of exploration in the region in spite of its hostile inhabitants. The path itself however is considered taboo by many hunters who frequent the area, creating superstitions of phantoms lurking the area in the darkest of nights. This legend stems from a message written in blood upon on of the walls of the passage. It reads "TURN BACK". It is likely this was written by a mortally wounded poacher, perhaps one of the two from the Carne incident that could have survived the initial attack and crawl into and beyond the passage. This has given the rise to many legends in the region, and has turned off many novice hunters that take the message seriously. Gojirasaurus Skeleton Near the exit of the mountain gate into the dry forest, a second taboo sight can be seen. Laying on its side, fully decayed to just the bones, is the skeleton of a large ''Gojirasaurus''. It is unknown how it died, but the leading theory is that after passing through Notiogea into Skotadia, it was attacked and killed by a ''Jaekelopterus'', one of the few creatures than can manage to kill such a creature. DHC warns to not stay close to the bones for long amounts of time, as significant amounts of radiation still hangs around the bones. Marshes '' in the background to the right]] To the northwestern areas of the reserve, marshes of various sizes form from irrigation from the nearby lake. The areas are the most visited part of the region by native fauna, using the areas as a place to drink, to graze, and to hunt. Both ''Bernicia'' and ''Meganeura'' use the marshes as a breeding ground, mating and laying their eggs within the safety of the confined pools. Hunters are warned that the areas can be quite muddy, and one would not want to be stuck in the mud while a titanic arachnid is on the prowl. Central Mountains In the center of the region, a pair of mountains jut from the terrain of the region. These mountains are barren of most flora, and are rarely visited by fauna from below. They are, however, notoriously good for use as a vantage point for snipers when hunting fauna from a distance. The mountains are named Mt. Kurosawa and Mt. Tsukuda, in honor of the leaders of the first DHC sponsored exploration of the region. Lake To the south is a large lake, which is giving life sustaining irrigation to the region. Within the lake are several small islands, which are accessible to hunters willing to take a swim to get there. The lake is highly populated by Bernicia, as many in the region are, though they rarely breed in the lake, preferring the marshes to lay their eggs in an area with fewer predators before returning to the depths. Vegetation The flora of The Gates of Dawn appears to be fairly diverse, with an assortment of different plant species adapted to the semiarid conditions of the region. The deserted northwestern portion of the hunting reserve is mostly devoid of plant life, save for large Bjuvia cycads, patches of Clevandodendron, and Pleuromeia ''that prefer to grow within close proximity of its rivers and ponds. On the Skotadian side of the region, open wooded glades full of ''Gingko and conifer trees, including Walchia, flourish in the lakeside environment. Smaller patches of ferns, Lycopodium, and Pleuromeia litter the forest floor and also grow in abundance near the shores of the enormous lake, attracting many herbivorous arthropods. Appearances The Gates of Dawn is the first and least expensive available area to hunt on in Mandibles.Category:Mandibles Category:Maps Category:Eos Sector